It was over 10 years ago that I first met Sara. She’s older – in her 50’s now – but when I saw her last week I was glad to see she still had the enormous energy and big personality she was known for.

When she arrived at Calvary, Sara was using alcohol to escape the trauma from the abuse she suffered as a young child. The most devastating effect her addiction had on her life was that it made Sara unable to care for her young son.

Her remarkable work ethic was one of the qualities I remember most about Sara from the time she spent at Calvary. She worked hard at her job at a nearby church, and worked even harder to achieve sobriety. Nowadays, Sara has stayed sober and is employed as a home health aide for hospice patients.

When I saw her last week she told me all about her son. She was able to reunite with him after leaving Calvary years ago to move into an apartment of her own. He is grown now, and Sara glowed as she told me how he was working in a “fancy restaurant.” I recognized in her the same feelings of pride I have about my own children.

I was touched by Sara’s delight at her son’s success, and left our conversation with a reminder that Calvary not only impacts the lives of women we serve, but their friends, families, and all the lives they touch as well.